If you want your exhibit to stand out in a crowd, you’re going to have to up the ante in what you have to offer. Don’t just go for the ordinary and customary, or customers will stride right past your booth on the way to a more unique display. Trade shows are definitely full of competition in the exhibition hall, you’ll need to devise a unique strategy that makes your booth stand out from the crowd.
If you expect your target attendees to fill a spreadsheet with sales leads or generate buzz for your new product, relying on random booth traffic isn’t usually the best strategy. Be the exhibitor that everyone is talking about by creating a beyond-cool trade show booth design.
Here are some ideas to get your creativity popping:
Get in touch before the trade show
One of the best ways is to is to reach out to your business’s current contact list. Let your current customers know that you will have a display and give them your assigned booth number. Provide as much information as possible.
Share information about your giveaways, free resources and what they stand to benefit when they visit your booth at the show. You could also get a hold of the attendee list for the trade show and get in touch with those who you could possibly do business with. Pitch your product, ideas or proposition in the best and simplest way possible that makes your message clear.
Invite them in
If you want customers to flock to your booth, invite them in. Create a comfortable space that makes them want to come in and linger. For example, you can set up an espresso bar with mood lighting and cafe furniture, and then watch everyone congregate in your exhibit.
“A lot of show marketers leave it to the show organizer to drive traffic on the show floor,” said Ruth P. Stevens, a consultant on business-to-business marketing and president of eMarketing Strategy. “You cannot cede responsibility to the show organizer to get all the traffic you want to get – you need to take aggressive action.” she tells Inc.
Give them a break
Trade shows can be invigorating, but also tiring. Want to lure visitors to your booth? Give them and their devices a place to recharge. Set up massage chairs and hire a couple of masseuses to give attendees five or ten-minute chair massages. Install a phone charging station, and let everyone head to your booth to relax and recharge. You will be one popular exhibitor. The rule to follow here is that keeping a crowd at your booth will attract more people.
Let them experience your product
When people interact with a product, it makes a lasting impression on them. Don’t just sell cars; hire a racecar driver to give visitors spins around the trade show. They will never forget that ride. You can also set up simulators to let customers experience your product, like flight simulators or ski simulators. How about designing a station where attendees become your product, such as a “Be the Running Shoe” interactive game? This will give game-players a chance to see what it feels like to hit the pavement on the foot of a runner. These ideas are obviously out there, but you get my drift.
Trade shows can be a ton of fun if you get creative with your booth design. Check out this gallery of amazing tradeshow booths from Xibit Solutions to get inspired. Pinterest is another great source of inspiration for simple or outlandish booth designs. Step outside of the box to lure attendees into your exhibit and you will have a grand old time and increase business, to boot.